At the request of federal and local governments, electrical utility companies have been looking for a solution to help minimize damages to lines caused by harsh environmental conditions, typically related to all kinds of storms. In addition, there is also significant interest in building some resiliency into the electrical grid. High winds, especially when combined with precipitation from seasonal storms, can cause damage to electrical utility systems resulting in service interruptions to large numbers of customers. While most power outages are caused by damage from falling trees limbs, others are caused by high winds and snow/ice buildup. Depending on the severity of the storm and resulting impairment, power outages can last from a few hours or extend to periods of several days, having real economic effects. Power outages impact residential customers, businesses (primarily through lost orders, damage to perishable goods and inventories), and manufacturers (mainly through downtime and lost production, or equipment damage).
Statistics show that repair costs are at an all time high and there seems no end in sight. Over the last ten years there has been a surge in storms and billions of dollars have been spent in federal aid to help restore the electrical grid. Electrical utility companies are quickly becoming risks to their customers due to monthly cost increases and their inability to quickly restore power, sometimes even resulting in loss of life.
All residential and commercial structures require an electrical overhead service conductor or cable to be brought from a utility pole or other main source of electricity to a point of attachment on or near the structure (residential or commercial) to generate power. At the present time when installations are made, a service drop is brought from the main source of electricity such as a utility pole to the building structure and mechanically attached to the service point located somewhere on the building structure. This approach is unsafe because there is no device installed at the time of installation to address service conductor wire or cable issues that can correct or account for issues with utility pole lean which causes overhead wire sag. This situation can become dangerous should the main service conductor pull away from the service point or detaches causing a live wire to fall to the ground and potentially cause injury. Sag in the wire also presents its dangers for a service conductor or cable hanging to low could potentially be snagged by passing vehicles also causing the service conductor to pull or detach from the structure causing a live wire to be on the ground.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an effective wire or cable adjustment assembly and one which in particular addresses the lateral movements in the service conductor or cable which enables slop in the line to be pulled in or let slack out.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved method of allowing flexibility in any line to avoid structural damage by means of the service point pulling out from a building structure.
A further object of the present invention is to provide an improved guide wire assembly that is readily adjustable so as to accommodate various field conditions.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a simple mechanism for bringing service conductors or cables to a point of attachment.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide a guide wire adjustment assembly as stated and that can be constructed simply, is inexpensive to manufacture and install, and is safe in operation.